Crossing slab



Nov. 17, 1931. E. c. ALEXANDER v CROSSING SLAB Filed Jan. l2, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mW m NV. 17, 1931. E. C; ALEXANDER 1,832,803

CROS SING SLAB Filed Jan. 12, 19:51 2 sheets-5115er 2 20 77 Z ZZ [75 J7 26 Z9 Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PifrllaT(5I-*FICEt EARL C'. ALnXNDER, or GLEN ELLYN, ILLINOIS, AssIGNOB. To IVIASSEY CONCRETE PRODUCTS. CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS", A CORPORATION OF NIRGINIA CROSSING SLAB Appncation nea 'January 12.1931. serieu No. Scales.

This invention relates to concrete slabs, and particularly to crossing slabs adapted for use in constructing a roadway over railroad grade crossings and for other purposes.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an iinproved 'Concrete slab.

further object of the invention is to pro- Vide an armored reinforced concrete slab which may be economically and expeditiously fabricated with the aid of standard Inaterial. A

A further object is to provide an improved armoring frame adapted to be located around the edges of a slab and to be directly secured to the concrete.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accoinpanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan view of a railroad crossing embodying Iny invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 2-@2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is al transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fignre 4 is aplafn view of a single slab on a larger scale.`

' Fig. 5 is a side elevational View of same.

Fig; 6 is a sectional View of 'same on the line 6#6 'of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a plan view, partly in section, of a niodified forni of slab.

Siis a side elevation thereof; and

Y Figi 9 is al sectional View of same on the line9r-.9fof Fig'. 7. l

Referring to Figs. 1 to of the drawings, the rails 1()l of the railroad are supported upon ties 1 1, beingr secured thereto by spikes 112. In order to build a roadway across the track, I place upon the ties 11, between, and on the -outer side ofthe :rails lo, Concrete slabs 13. The slabs 13 are' preferably of a thickness equal to the height of the rails so that their upper surfaces lie in the same plane. As' shown in the drawings, I prefer toemploy a single row of slabs along the Outer side of each rail, and I prefer to einploy two rows of slabs? between the'r'ails. It will be understood that I do not intend to be 'lirnit'e'd to' the nuinber of rows? ofslabs employed in eitli'rposition. The nuinbe of slabs used in each row depends Alifon the length of the slabs and the width of the 1""o'ad-l way which is to be constrnc'ted and Inay be varied as desired. j l

The outermost rows of slabsniay abiitiipon the surface layer 14 of the acentfroadway. rIheir inner edges are inaintained in spaced relation with respect to the rails' 10', niea'r'is of fillers or blocks 15 whichbear upon the inner faces of the slabs 13 and upon the vertical web of the rail 10the fillerl being VfoI"'Ir`1e,` l to eXtend inwardly between the head and base iange of the rail. The fillers 15' Inay suitably befoirned of wood, andmay be 'eut away adjacent the rail joints as shown at the right hand side of Fig'. 3Y to acconiiifodate the outer splice bar. I

The inner faces of the slabs 13 between the rails 10 abut upon eachother". vTheiron'ter faces' are maintained in spaced relationv to the rails 10 by suitablev spacerfs'l, which inay suitably be constituted by sections of old rails, of which the base flange'r'ests upon the onter faces of the slabs and the liead abuts iipon the vertical web of the' rail 10".` The spacers 16 Vmay be of any desired length and' various lengths may be located end' to end in biiildingl a crossing. A gap maybe left as shown in Figs. l and 3 to accolnrnodate the in'n'er splice bar' at a rail joint. y.

Each slab is internally reinforced by lon"- gitudinal steel rods 17 and transverse steel rods 18 which need not be Connected` to each other. Each slab is provided aroundi't's 'edges With an armoring" franie 19iwhich protects the concrete frein the severe shocks applied to the corners by the wheels of the vehicles passing over the crossing. g e

In the forni of slab shown in Figs" 41 to 6, the frai'ne 19 is ,forined' freni" standard chan-` nel material 20, preferably having an in`` ward rib or Vcorrugation 21 in the center of the Inain web. To fabricate the faine two long lengths 22 are cut to provide'the' sides, and two short lengths 23 are out to provide the ends of the frame. The ti"a,ns"vi'erse"r edges of the side webs of the sides 22ans' placed in abutment with the outer edges of the side webs of the ends 23' adjacent their' ends and the frame, and that the operations involved are extremely simple consisting in cutting the (iii channel to appropriate lengths and welding the side webs together at the corners.

It will be understood that this method of assembly is capable of modifications for which I intend' to be broadly protected. Thus instead of locating the side members between the end members, I may locate the end ineinbers between the side members, or I may abut one end of a side member against the inner edges of the flanges of one end member and abut the other end member against the inner edges of the flanges of said side member. adjacent its other end, and so forth.

The sides 22 are preferably provided with openings 25 and cored openings 26 are provided in the concrete in alignment therewith to receive eye-bolts or other tools for hoisting and handling the slabs.

In fabricating the slabs the frame is placed in a suitable surrounding mold or bor; to close the openings 24, and suitable cores are placed in the openings 25 to produce t-he openings 26 in the concrete. The reinforcing rods 17 and 18 are inserted within the frame and are supported in desired position by means of wires or other suitable supports. The rods 1.7 and 18 are not secured to the frame and they may be placed in position easily and expeditiously.

The concrete 27 is then poured into the frame enclosing the rods 17 and 18 and fill ing the channel 20 and the openings 2e. When the concrete is set the finished slab is removed from the mold or box, the cores are removed from the openings 26 and the slab is ready for shipment.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive, the armoring frame 28 consists of a flat strip of metal 29 which is bent into rectangular form to provide the sides 30 and ends 31. One side 30 carries an integral eX- tension 32 which is bent to engage the free end of the adjacent end 31 to which it may be welded or secured in any other suitable manner. In order to secure the frame 2S to the concrete 27, I preferably stamp out of the metal of the frame 28 a large number of strips 33, which are bent inwardly. The inner end of each strip 33 is slit or bifurcated', and the resulting prongs 34 are bent in opposite directions to give the strips a firm anchorage in the concrete. In this modification reinforcing rods 17 and 18 are preferably employed and the method. of completing the construction of the slab may be substantially the same as that described in connection with the modification of the invention first described.

Although I have described the invention in connection with the specic details of preferred embodiments thereof, it must be understood that suoli details are not int-ended to be limitative of the invention except insofar as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A concrete slab comprising a frame of uniform channel section extending about the sides of the slab, the side webs of said channel are directed inwardly around the frame, and a concrete filling in the frame.

2. A concrete slab comprising a frame of channel section, the side webs of which are directed inwardly around the frame, rein forcing rods within the frame and unsecured thereto, and a concrete filling in the frame.

3. A crossing slab comprisinga frame of channel section of width equal to the height of a rail, the side webs of the frame being directed inwardly around the frame, reinforcing rods within the frame and unsecured thereto, and a concrete filling in the frame.

et. A concrete slab comprising a frame composed of lengths of channel section, the side webs of which are directed inwardly of the slab' said frame being assembled by welding the end edges of the side webs of one length to the inner edges of the side webs of another length near an end thereof, leaving an opening adjacent each corner, and concrete within the frame filling the channels and closing said openings.

5. A concrete slab comprising a frame composed of lengths of channel section, the side webs of which are directed inwardly of the slab, said frame being assembled by welding the end edges of the side webs of one length to the inner edges of the side webs of another length near an end thereof, leaving an opening adjacent each corner, rein forcing rods within the frame and unsecured thereto, and concrete filling the frame and closing said openings.

6. A crossing slab comprising a frame of channel section of width equal to the height of a rail, the side webs of the frame being directed inwardly around the frame, said frame being assembled by Welding the end edges of the side webs of one length to the inner edges of the side webs of another length near an end thereof, leaving an opening adjacent each corner, reinforcing rods within the frame and unsecured thereto, and concrete filling the frame and closing said openings.

7. A concrete slab comprising an armoring frame formed of sheet metal, inwardly directed strips formed from the metal of the frame and a concrete filling in which the strips are embedded, thereby anchoring same to the frame.

8. A concrete slab comprising an armoring frame formed of sheet metal, inwardly directed strips stam ed from the metal of the frame, aconcrete l'illing in which said strips are embedded, and means on said strips providing secure anchorage thereof in said concrete.

9. A concrete slab comprising an armoring frame formed of sheet metal, inwardly directed strips formed from the metal of the frame, reinforcing rods in the frame and unsecured thereto, and a concrete filling einbedding the strips and rods wherebythe concrete is secured to the frame and is reinforced.

10. A crossing slab comprising an armoring frame formed of sheet metal of width equal to the height of a rail, inwardly directed strips stamped from the metal of the frame, the free ends thereof being bifurcated and bent in opposite directions, reinforcing rods in the frame and unsecured thereto, and a concrete filling within the france embedding the strip and the rods whereby the concrete is secured to the frame and is reinforced.

1l. A concrete slab comprising a metal frame of channel section, the side flanges of said channel being directed inwardly around the frame and said frame comprising a pair of end channels and a pair of side channels,

each of said channels being formed with end edges extending substantially parallel to the direction of the adjacent channel and the side webs of each channel being secured to the side webs of each successive channel in the frame to eliminate the waste of material inthe cutting of said channels, and a filling of concrete in said frame, flush with the upper surfaces of said side flanges and extending into the channels between said side flanges.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 6th day of' January, 1931.

EARL C. ALEXANDER. 

